Posts for tag: Nutrition

Your child is growing by leaps and bounds, so it should go without saying that the foods they consume can provide ample energy and fuel their mind and body, or they can cause deficiencies, mood swings, sluggishness, and health problems. Your child’s nutrition is of the utmost importance and establishing healthy eating habits early on can greatly benefit your child for both the short-term and for the future.

With childhood obesity still being a very serious and real problem in our country, it’s never too early to start your child eating a healthy, balanced diet. It’s amazing how what you eat can either help or harm your health. Here are some tips to support good nutrition in your little one.

Don’t Forget Breakfast

While busy parents might forget to eat first thing in the morning (or turn to coffee to get that burst of energy) growing children should not skip out on breakfast. Making sure they have a hearty protein-rich breakfast will help them stay fuller longer. Greek yogurt or eggs can be a great source of protein. Couple that with whole grains and some veggies and you have the ultimate, energized breakfast.

Let Your Child Be an Active Participant

If you just tell your child what to eat all the time it’s can be far more challenging to have them eat what they should and children don’t really understand for themselves why certain foods are good for them. Getting your child actively involved in their own nutrition is a great and invaluable lesson that they will carry with them throughout life. Let them choose their favorite fruits and vegetables. Plant a garden together and show them how to tend to herbs and vegetables. Make cooking together a priority and enjoy time with the family while teaching your child how to cook.

Revamp Your Diet

We know that it can be difficult to completely transition your child into a healthier lifestyle, particularly if eating habits haven’t been the best so far; however, a pediatrician can help guide you through the process to help you make simple decisions that could greatly improve your child’s diet. Simply swapping out certain unhealthy options for healthier ones might be all you need. For example, replace soda with flavored water, ice cream with yogurt, and potato chips with mixed nuts.

Sugar in Moderation

Okay, we know it’s impossible to prevent your child from ever consuming sugar (after all, what’s a birthday party without the birthday cake?); however, you should limit how much sugar your child consumes each day. Keep sodas, sports drinks, desserts and the like out of the house to prevent temptation. Sure, these treats aren’t that bad for you when consumed sparingly, but we all know the negative effect sugar has on our physical and mental health.

If you have questions about your child’s nutritional habits or their health, it’s important that you have a pediatrician that you trust to provide you with the comprehensive and understanding care you and your little one need. Turn to a pediatrician today to have all your questions and concerns addressed regarding your child’s nutrition and lifestyle.

Are you always packing your kid’s lunchbox with the same old boring foods? When it comes to your child’s school life, you may be concerned with your child’s eating habits. In order to help your child eat better and feel better, your pediatrician offers helpful tips for packing healthy lunches for your kids to take to school. Now is the time to branch out with new ingredients for healthy foods so that your children always eat well at lunch—help them be the envy of every child’s lunch.

By preparing lunch at home for your child, it helps to ensure that your child eats food with nutrients that are crucial to growing normally and thriving, mentally as well as physically. When it comes to packing your child’s next lunch, your pediatrician urges you to remember that variety is key.

Your child’s lunch should contain a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and heart-healthy fat. Some examples of foods that are rich in these nutrients and ideal for home-packed school lunches include:

Two to three ounces of lean protein for muscle and tissue development. This can include chicken, turkey or tuna on a whole grain mini-bagel. Pair this with chickpeas or a hardboiled egg and your child will receive the lean protein they need at lunch.

Heart healthy oils for heart and brain health might include two tablespoons of natural peanut butter on several whole grain crackers.

Fruits such as grapes, mandarin oranges, pears and berries provide fiber and micronutrients. You can also include vegetables such as broccoli or grape tomatoes, or even whole grains, including whole grain bread, bagels, pasta, quinoa and brown rice.

Calcium rich food is very important for bone development. These foods include low-fat cheese or six to eight ounces of low fat milk or yogurt.

And for a drink, don’t forget the water! Your pediatrician places a strong emphasis on including water because proper hydration is important to your child’s health. Water is also a much better alternative to sodas or fruit drinks.

What your child eats at lunch as well as breakfast and dinner can influence his or her ability to earn good grades and helps in reducing obesity. Talk to your pediatrician for more information on how you can pack a better lunch for your child to improve their health and overall well-being.

Too often, children fall into unhealthy routines when it comes to eating. These habits can jeopardize their long-term overall health, potentially leading to serious complications later in life. In fact, nearly 1 in 3 children in America is overweight or obese. That’s why the early years are important for building a child’s nutrition habits. By starting young and encouraging a fun, healthy diet, it’s possible to lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy, independent eating.

Here are a few simple tips for instilling healthy eating habits in your kids.

Eat in moderation
Eating healthy doesn’t mean your kids can never have a little “junk” food as a treat. Teach your child the importance of moderation, healthy portion sizes and self-control when it comes to making daily food choices.

Quality over quantity
Rather than making your child clean his plate, encourage him to eat slowly. This will help your child detect hunger and fullness better, preventing overeating and teaching portion control.

Shop smart
If you don’t buy it, they can’t eat it. When shopping for foods choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats. Stock up on healthy snacks for after school, and avoid buying too many junk foods or sugary drinks and sodas that are stumbling blocks to healthy eating.

Pack smart for school
Be aware of your child’s school lunch options by reviewing the menu. Help your child understand how he can make good meal choices at school, and if you need to, pack your child a nutritious lunch to ensure he’s getting a variety of healthy foods that he likes to eat.

Load up on fruits and vegetables
When cooking, introduce a variety of fruits and vegetables into your meals as a great way to get your kids to try—and even acquire a taste for—healthier foods. It may take several tries, so be persistent and creative in your meal planning.

Set a good example
One of the best ways a parent can support healthy eating habits for their child is to model similar habits. Most kids are more willing to try foods if they see their parents enjoying them.

Make meals family-time
Eat together as a family when possible, and make mealtime fun by trying new foods together.

Bottom line: Instilling healthy eating habits in children is an ongoing process that takes time and patience, but the benefits of a healthier lifestyle can last throughout their entire life. Talk to your child’s pediatrician for guidance if you have questions about your child’s eating habits or dietary needs.

Sometimes a sit-down meal seems impossible at times for busy families and making sure that a meal is healthy feels like an even bigger challenge. With a little organization, you can have the chance to serve healthy meals and sit down as a family once again. However, other nights you might find yourself on the go throughout the dinner hour. With help from your pediatrician, you can establish proper eating habits throughout the day.

Breakfast Matters

Studies suggest that children who skip the morning meal run a greater risk of being overweight, which is why experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. By skipping breakfast, it is next to impossible for children, and adults, to make up for the nutrients lost. Healthy breakfast foods, such as milk and whole grains, provide an array of nutrients necessary for proper growth and good health. Additionally, breakfast provides a positive effect on academic performance because after about 10 hours or so without food, eating in the morning fuels the brain and body for the day ahead.

Snack Smart

Throughout the day, it is important to snack smart. Make sure you buy healthy snacks and portion them into individual servings so that you always have a grab-and-go snack for each member of the family. A snack between meals is important to keep hunger at bay and prevent binge eating. Students also need snacks to help them concentrate and learn at school, and working adults who keep healthy snacks on hand are less likely to hit the vending machine in the afternoon.

Make Smart Restaurant Choices

Yes, there will be times when a busy family has to eat out, but doing so does not have to derail your healthy eating goals. Choose the restaurant you will go to ahead of time and use its website to look at the nutritional information for the menu items offered. This allows you to make a choice that is healthy ahead of time so you are prepared when you get there. Avoid looking at the menu again, if possible, so that you are not tempted to choose something unhealthy.

Talk to your pediatrician for more information on how you can properly plan meals for your busy family. Remember, proper eating habits help your family throughout the day.

As children grow into adolescence, their bodies require more nutrients to grow healthy and strong. But as many parents know, for those teens with busy school schedules, sports practices and jobs, managing a healthy, well-balanced meal plan isn’t always at the top of their priority list. In many cases, a teen’s most important meals are eaten in the car or on the bus as they shuffle from one activity to the next.

Parents can play a very important role in influencing their teen to stay active while maintaining a healthy diet. These tips can help:

Encourage your teen to not skip meals, especially breakfast. A well-balanced breakfast is essential to keeping your son or daughter nourished throughout the day.

Educate your teen about healthy snack choices. Stock your refrigerator and cabinets with healthy foods and snacks, such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and lean meats and poultry. Avoid buying sodas and other sugary drinks and foods that are low in nutritional value.

Involve your teen in the selection and preparation of foods to teach them to make healthy choices.

Teach your teen how to make healthy selections when eating out at restaurants.

How many servings per day your teenager requires will depend on how many calories his or her body needs. This is based on age, sex, size and activity level. You can discuss your teen’s nutritional habits and recommended daily intake with your teen's pediatrician.

Although balancing school, sports and social activities may present challenges to eating healthy, it is possible to guide your teen on a path of nutritional food choices. Educate them now and promote healthy eating at home to help your teen develop a good understanding of proper nutrition into adulthood. The whole family can benefit from improved eating habits starting at home.